Blade for mechanical blockers or thinners



Aug. 10, 1954 T- RlANDA v2,685,832

BLADE FOR MECHANICAL BLOCKERS OR THINNERS Filed Aug. 2'7, 1952 $7 H f1.97 31 I, 9 i

ATT RNEYS Patented Aug. l0, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE p BLADE FRMECHANICAL BLOCKERS y `OR. THINNERS 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to agricultural equipment, and more particularlyto a mechanical blade for aV blocker or thinner.

The object of the invention is to provide a rotary blade or disk whichis adapted to be mounted on and rotated by a suitable machine such as atractor, the blade of the present invention being constructed so that apredetermined number of plants are thinned or blocked out upon rotationof the blade or disk.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary blade or diskwhich has a plurality of spaced fins secured thereto whereby uponrotation of the disk a certain number of growing plants will be blockedout or thinned out so that the remaining plants will have suilicientspace therebetween to insure that the plants can grow properly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a thinning or blockingblade which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals Yare used to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken through a farm implement such as atractor, showing the blade of the present invention mounted thereon.Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line .2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view takenV on the line 3--3 of Figure 2 showingthe blocking disk only.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing a plant passingthrough one of the openings or slots in the disk.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing a modified disk orblade.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic View showing the thinning out accomplished bythe blade shown in Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a View similar to Figure 8, but showing the thinning outaccomplished by the blade of Figure 7.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral I0 designates a framewhich may be the frame of a tractor or other farm implement, and theframe I0 may be supported on the usual Wheels I I, Figure 1. Ahorizontally disposed shaft l2 may be supported in bearings I4 whichdepend from the frame I0, and the shaft I2 may have its front endconnected to any suitable power source.

The present invention is directed to a thinning or blocking blade ordisk I5, and one or two of the blades I 5 may be used simultaneously.Each of the blades I5 is circular in shape and is provided with acentral opening I5 for receiving the rear end of the shaft I2. Arrangedin spaced relation about the opening I6 is a plurality of holes orapertures II whereby suitable securing elements such as bolt and nutassemblies IS can project through the openings I'I for securing theblade I 5 to a iiange on the shaft i2. Thus, as the shaft I2 rotates,the blade I5 Will be rotated.

The blade I5, shown in Figures 1 through 6, is provided with four spacedslots I9, and each of the slots I9 terminates in a cut-out 2B. The slotsI9 define therebetween in the blade i5 four body portions 22. Secured tothe blade I5 on one side thereof only adjacent the outer peripherythereof is a plurality of spaced ns 2 I. Thus, as the blade I5 isrotated the ns 2l will engage certain of the standing plants P to removepredetermined number of the growing plants P from the ground and castthem to one side as shown in Figure 5.

The portion of the blade adjacent one side of the slots I9 extendoutwardly with respect to a central plane passing through the major axisof the blade, and the outwardly extending portion of each of the bodysections 22 is indicated by the numeral 24. The other end of each of thebody portions 22 extends inwardly as at 23, and this construction isbest seen in Figure 4. By having one end of each of the body portions 22extending outwardly as at 24 and the other end of each of the bodyportions 22 extending inwardly as at 23, it will be seen that the slotl5 will be of suflicient size to permit the passage therethrough of theplants P which are to be left growing or standing.

Referring to Figure 7 there is shown a modiied blade which is indicatedby the numeral 25, and the blade 25 is provided with a central opening26 for receiving the rear end of a shaft such as the shaft I2. The blade25 is provided with three slots 2l which each terminate in an innercut-out 28. It will be noted that the blade 25 has only three slots 21while the previously described blade I5 has four slots 24. The slots 21dene therebetween three body portions 30, and arranged at right angleswith respect to each of the body portions 30 and secured thereto is vens 29. One end of each of the body portions 30 extends inwardly whileits other end extends outwardly as previously described.

Referring to Figure 8 there is shown a diagrammatic view illustratingthe rnethod of use of the disk or blade l5. Thus, the letters A indicatethose plants left standing, while the letters B designate those plantswhich are removed by the fins 2l during the rotation of the blade, itwill be seen in Figure 8 that for each two feet of forward travel of thetractor, there will be one revolution of the blade l and since there areicur fins 2l in each of the sections 22, then for each revolution of theblade four plants P will be left standing. Also, the plants P leftstanding will be spaced six inches apart, as shown in Figure 8, thespace between the letters A which represent the standing plants beingsix inches.

En Figure 9 there is shown a diagrammatic view illustrating the use ofthe blade 25 of Figure 7. Since the blade 25 has only three slots 2l,there will be ve plants removed for every plant left growing. Again theblade 25 will make one revolution for every two feet of forward travelof the tractor, and the standing plants designated by the letter A willbe spaced eight inches apart. As the blade 25 rotates, there will be veplants blocked out or thinned out by the fins 29.

`From the foregoing, it is apparent that an iinproved blade or disk hasbeen provided for automatically blocking out or thinning out apredetermined number of growing plants. The blades l5 and 25 may be usedeither singly or together on the back of a tractor or other implement,and when the blades are used together they rotate in opposite directionswith respect to each other so that the plants P which have been scoopedout of the ground by the ns 2i and 29 will be deposited alongside thetractor as shown in Figure 5. When the blade l5 is being used there willbe six inches left between each growing plant A since four or the slotsi9 are provided on the blade. With the blade 29 of Figure 7 being used,there will be eight inches between each plant A left standing sincethere are only three of the slots 27 for the plants which are to remainstanding to pass through. The above calculations are based upon theassumption that the blades l5 and 25 make one revolution for every twofeet of forward movement of the tract-or.

When the disks or blades are being used together one rotates in aclockwise direction while ie other rotates in a counterclockwisedirection. rThe size of the parts and the speed of rotation oi theblades can be varied as desired. If desired more than two of the bladesmay be mounted on i ground. As previously described, the back edge ofeach of the sections 22 is oiiset from the front edge so that as theblades are moved down the row, the blades or disks will be constantlyrevolving and the fins will cut or scoop a predetermined number ofplants from the ground. When a plant engages the slot i9 or the slot 21that particular plant will be left standing, and the fins are arrangedso that all of the dirt and plants which are scooped or out are laid toone side of the row to thereby leave a clean out block where the openspace passed. The number of ns can be varied as desired, and the finsmay be welded on at right angles to the blade. The shaft l2 may be adifferential shaft of a tractor. Also, the hns have a shaving effectinstead of a hoeing action and do not disturb any unnecessary dirt.

I claim:

In a plant thinning blade, a horizontally disposed drive shaft having anannular flange on its rear end, there being a central opening in saidblade for receiving the rear end of said shaft, said blade having aplurality of apertures in spaced relation around said opening, securingelements extending through said apertures and through said ange, saidblade being provided with a plurality of spaced slots, said blade beingcircular in shape, the inner ends of said slots terminating in cutouts,said cutouts extending angularly from said slots. and said cutouts beinearcuately shaped, and the portion of the cutouts communicating with theslots being larger than the inner end portions of the cutouts, saidslots deiining body portions therebetween, the ends of said bodyportions being oiset in opposite directions with respect to each otherWhereby one end of each of said body portions is arranged inwardly of acentral plane passing through the blade and the other end of each bodyportion is arranged outwardly of the central plane, and a plurality ofradially extending iins spacedly mounted on the outer periphery of eachbody portion and secured at right angles thereto, each body portionhaving an equal number of fins secured thereto, said hns beingpositioned on one side only of the blade, the outer ends of the hnsbeing ilush with the outer periphery of said blade, and the inner endsoi said ns being spaced outwardly of said cutouts, said slots andcutouts permitting the passage therethrough of the plants 'which are tobe leit standing, and said ns engaging the plants to be removed from theground.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNurnber Name Date 711,417 Castles Oct. 14, 1902 716,696 Foster Dec. 23,1902 959,031 Simmons May 24, 1910 2,599,843 Knutzen June 10, 1952 FOREGNPATENTS Number Country Date 6,914 Great Britain May 8, 1915 877,890France Oct. 3. 1941

